IMPORTING OR EXPORTING

Importing or Exporting Illegal Substances

As the name suggests, these offences seek to prevent the movement of drugs between countries. You can be found guilty of this offence even if the accused doesn’t physically bring the substance in or out. An agreement to import or export would be sufficient as well.

Not surprisingly, this offence is treated very seriously by police and the Crown. Depending on the type of substance involved, it can carry minimum jail sentences of varying lengths. Many of the offences carry jail sentence of a year or more.

Importing or exporting a Schedule I substance carries a minimum two year jail sentence if it is more than a kilogram. As with all minimum punishments, that is the least restrictive sentence available. It would be common for someone to receive much more than the minimum for this offence.

Defences

It would be common to seek to distance the accused from the importing or exporting behaviour either by suggesting it was not them or that they were not aware of exactly what was going on.

Charter arguments can be successful to defend importation or exporting charges depending on the facts of the case.